NME ARTISTS

Dave Matthews Band

Biography

Dave Matthews Band (often abbreviated to DMB) is an American rock band that was formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was added to the band as a violinist soon after the band was formed. Moore died suddenly in August 2008 due to complications from injuries sustained in an ATV accident. Grammy Award-winner Jeff Coffin of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones has since filled Moore's spot as the band's saxophonist. Rashawn Ross and Tim Reynolds have also become full-time touring members of the band. The band's 2009 album Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King (the first album since Moore's death) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, earning the band their fifth consecutive number-one debut. Their most recent album, Away from the World, released in 2012, debuted at number one on the Billboard chart -- making them the only group to have six consecutive studio albums debut in the top spot. As of 2010, the Dave Matthews Band has sold over 30 million records worldwide.

The band is known for their annual summer-long tours of the United States and Europe, featuring lengthy improvisational renditions of their songs, accompanied by an elaborate video and lighting show. The band is known for playing the songs differently each time. This portion of the tour has become a stamp of DMB and has grown with the band since Fenton Williams began working with them in the early 1990s.